Yucaipa students learn cell phone app programming

YUCAIPA - In a packed classroom at Yucaipa High School, more than 30 students have their cell phones out, and no one is getting in trouble for it.

"This is probably the only class on campus where (adults) won't scream if they have their phone out," teacher Mark Watkins said, looking out over one of his two sessions of cell phone app programming.

Yucaipa High may be the only high school in the nation offering a year-long course in programming the ubiquitous programs found in the pockets of billions of people around the world.

"I've heard there are six-week seminars, after school or one-semester things. But as far as year-long things, I think we're it."

The class programs for the Android platform, as it's cheaper and easier to get started - the class does most of its work in the free App Inventor program built by MIT - but Watkins hopes they can expand to Apple's iOS platform, which runs on iPhones and iPads, in the spring.

The class brings together hardcore computer programmers with newbies who simply love their phones.

"We had almost 80 kids try to get in this class," Watkins said. "Their world revolves around their phones."

App Inventor uses object-oriented computing: Pre-built sections of computer code are represented as blocks the students assemble together to create a functioning program. Later in the year, Watkins intends to peel back the object-oriented computing model to give the newer programmers a deeper understanding of how programming works.

"I've got a couple kids who are a few miles down the road, a few that don't get it, and about 50 in the middle."

The class has built about 14 apps so far this year. At the moment, the class is working on creating a pachinko game - a Japanese game resembling pinball where steel balls drop from the top of the game and bounce off a set of pins. The pachinko projects range from simple affairs with white backgrounds and fitfully blinking pegs to more elaborate affairs depicting balls bouncing off Christmas tree ornaments or black spots on the surface of Jupiter.

"They've gone from touching a kitty on the screen and the kitty meows to having objects interact," he said. Soon, students will be incorporating GPS data into their apps.

Watkins has been teaching computer science since 1997. This isn't the first time he's expanded the school's computer science curriculum: The district previously supported his idea of starting up a 3D graphics class. The class went on to become a standard part of the computer science curriculum at Yucaipa High.

Adding an app development class was a no-brainer, he said.

"I kept seeing the world being more and more app-driven."

While many of his students are just in it for the fun of it, others are aware of the commercial possibilities of selling their own apps.

"I want a career in the field," said senior Dominic Champion-Stucker. He's already built an app to help his fellow Thunderbirds get to class on time.

"The bell schedule is really iffy here. I basically made this for myself."

An experienced programmer, Champion-Stucker intends to major in computer science in college.

"I've never worked with apps before, so it's been useful," he said.

Senior Tim McDowell has an entrepreneurial streak already - he operates a mobile electronic device repair business and carries business cards in his wallet.

"I figure I might as well learn the basics here and go on from there."

His dream job: working for Apple.

"Heed my warning," Watkins calls out as the bell rings and students file out for their next classes. "Pass your other classes - this is the elective they take you out of."